Retention

RETENTION:
NOT A FINANCIAL AID OFFICE RESPONSIBILITY,
WRONG!!!
MASFAP Spring Conference
March 12, 2014
Ms. Kathy A. Brockgreitens-Gober, Dean of Enrollment Services
St. Charles Community College
Ms. Sara Honeck, Director of Student Financial Aid
University of Kansas Medical Center
Ms. Jody Paterson, Bursar,
Webster University
Retention:
From a Enrollment Manager’s
Perspective
Ms. Kathy A. Brockgreitens-Gober
Dean of Enrollment Services
St. Charles Community College
St. Charles Community College
SCC At-a-Glance
 Established in 1986 with the first classes held in 1987.
 St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive
two-year community college.
 District/Service Area: The SCC College Taxing District includes the
school districts of Francis Howell, St. Charles, Wentzville,
Fort Zumwalt and Orchard Farm,
including nearly all of St. Charles County.
 Extended Service Area: 3,239 square miles including St. Charles,
Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery and Pike counties.
Fall 2013 Enrollment Figures
Headcount
7477
FTE
4860
Credit Hours
72,906
Full Time
47.5%
Part Time
52.5%
General Education/Transfer
88%
Career/Technical
12%
FF Head Count
1,830
15.7% Increase from FA12
Fall 2013 Student Demographics
Female Students
57%
Male Students
47%
Students under age 18
1.9%
Traditional Students age 18-22
62.1%
Non-Traditional Students ages 22<
36%
Students from St. Charles County
80%
Minority Students
15%
Changes to the Organizational Structure
2003:
Reorganization of Student Affairs: Admissions, Registration
and Financial Aid were joined to create Enrollment
Services and all report to the same Dean but still
physically located in 2 separate areas.
2007:
Renovation of existing space to create a one-stop-shop for
Enrollment Services. All staff cross-trained to be able to
assist students with first level Enrollment and
Financial Aid issues without having to pass them on
2012:
Reorganization of Student Affairs. Academic Advising
Assessment Center, Transfer Services, and Career
Services are added to Enrollment Services and report
to the Dean of Enrollment Services. Although still
physically located in 3 separate areas.
2013-2014:
Long Range Planning includes an initiative to create a
One-Stop-Shop for all the Enrollment Services Functions.
Final Determination on this project will be made in May 2014
with Board approval of the FY15 Budget.
Advantages of a One-Stop-Shop (OSS)
 An OSS has the ability to correct the complex and confusing
nature of the way we conduct business today.
 It is a student-centered model that offers a sustainable and
cost effective way of delivering value and quality to higher
education.
 An OSS is driven by student needs, the problems students
face, and the solutions necessary to help them succeed.
OUTCOMES of an OSS
(as related to retention)
 Provides the opportunity for increased individual attention
in one central location.
 Service levels increase by requiring fewer steps for students
and staff to complete.
 Provides a simplified enrollment process.
 The OSS concept sends the message that an institution
cares not only about a student applying for admission, but
that they are there to assist them with all of the other services
necessary for them to complete their educational goals.
Additional Outcomes of an OSS
 Eliminates the “silo” approach to student services.
 Maximizes investments in technology.
 Costs are reduced through streamlined efficiencies and
better use of systems and staff to maximize resources and
improve impact.
 Employee morale will improve by creating an environment
where staff feel empowered to better serve the needs of
students and to work in a manner of high productivity.
 This model facilitates cross training.
 The resources students need to succeed are all in one place.
Define and Implement
New Recruitment & Retention Strategies
 Establish enrollment targets prior to the beginning of each
registration period
 Regular monitoring and reporting of data
 Communicate and track prospects and applicants
 Mailings
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E-mail
Robo phone calls
Personal phone calls
Parent engagement
Student Outreach and Engagement
 “Be Ready” Program
 Cross Campus Enrollment Team
 Enrollment Services has collaborated with the Marketing
department to develop a comprehensive Marketing and
communication plan.
 A+ Program Information nights are scheduled 3 times each
spring to inform parents and program participants of their
responsibilities after high school graduation.
 FAFSA awareness events within local high schools
 REGFEST - New and current student registration event.
Student Outreach and Engagement
 Financial Literacy workshops
 Academic counselors are now having conversations with
students to develop a plan to enable them to stay in school
when they are considering dropping out.
 Developing a new Academic Progress policy that includes
intervention strategies and requirements.
 Additional assistance to our student veterans
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Career assessment and planning
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Intrusive advising
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Develop academic plans for success
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Expand our Veteran lounge
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PTSD support group
What we have learned!
 Recruitment efforts are working –
 additional focus on retention is
needed.
 Current budgets as well as
performance funding places
retention at a high priority.
 Retention is a campus wide
responsibility.
 Students Procrastinate!!!
 Develop a plan that has campus-wide
buy in.
 Fix the ideas that aren’t working and
develop new ones as you go…
Retention:
From a Financial Aid Director’s Perspective
Ms. Sara Honeck
Director of Student Financial Aid
University of Kansas Medical Center
The University of Kansas Medical School
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Only Medical school in Kansas
Located in Kansas City, KS
Need Blind admissions
Educates University of Kansas Health Profession
students
 All Transfer Students – No Freshman or Sophomore
students
Health Profession School
 Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions
(Allied Health specialties)
 AY13 Total Enrollment…..2,500 Students
 AY13 Aid Recipients……...1,900 Students
 AY13 Total Financial Aid..$51.5 million
Aid Recipients
 Medical Students……………741
 Graduate Students………….879
 Undergraduate Students…309
Retention Rates
 Medical Students……………………......97%
 Nursing Students
 Graduate Students………………..70% to 80%
 Undergraduates-Traditional…..97%
 Undergraduates-Online……......80%
 Health Professions (Allied Health)..95%
Why Do Students Leave?
 Academics
 Illness
 Change of Heart
 Financial
Recruitment Practices – Prospective Students
 Meet with various groups of students to discuss costs and
Financial Aid opportunities
 Post-Baccalaureate/Pre-Matriculation Programs
 High school students interested in Health Professions
 College students interested in Medicine
 Admission applicants
 Kansas Medical Student Loan Program
Retention Practices – Current Students
 Appropriate Cost of Attendance
 Kansas Medical Student Loan Program
 Awarding Strategies – Campus Based Funds
 Scholarships – Academic Departments
 Orientations
 Annual sessions with students
 “Popcorn Thursday”
 Financial Aid Day
Retention Practices Collaboration with University Departments
 Academic Departments
 Regular Meetings
 Shared Directories – Sharepoint with Knowledge Center
 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
 Policy Library
 One-Stop Shop
 Newly combined office with Admissions, Registrar, and
Student Financial Aid
Retention:
From a Bursar’s Perspective
Ms. Jody Paterson
Bursar
Webster University
Webster University
 Established in 1915 by the Sisters of Loretto as a 4-year
private, non-profit, Catholic women’s college in St.
Louis, Missouri
 1962 became coeducational
 1967 Sisters of Loretto transferred ownership and
leadership to a lay board of directors
 1983 became a University
Webster University
 Students:
 5,000 Undergraduate students
 15,000 Graduate students
 Students from 50 states and 148 countries
 Average class size of 10 and a Faculty-to-Student
ratio of 1 to 9
 Global University with 100+ locations: U.S. metro
sites, military bases, and corporate sites, Vienna,
Leiden, Geneva, London, China, Thailand, and Africa
 75 majors and 60 graduate programs
 Missouri’s No. 1 online graduate education programs
and No. 3 online graduate business programs
Webster’s Bursar Office
 Student Accounts & Collection Offices
 Student Accounts & Cashier Services: Two
Assistant Bursars & 11 Staff Members
 Cashiers (3)
 Customer Service & Clearance (2)
 Third Party Billing & VA Refunding ( 2)
 Student Refunding (2)
 International Campus & Student Services (1)
 Billing Coordinator (1)
 Internal Collections: Manager & three staff
members
Webster’s Bursar Student Retention Initiatives
 Training, Assessment, and Professional Development
 Student-Customer Service
 New Academic programs
 Other programs and services: free Metro bus passes
 Policies and Processes (all)
 Procedures (all)
Webster’s Bursar Student Retention Initiatives
 Global Collaboration & Coordination: Where is the
standard entry point for student-customer service?
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Admissions and Enrollment Management offices
*Financial Aid* and Bursar offices
Student Affairs, Student Advising and Registrar offices
Study Abroad
Academic departments, Extended sites, International
campuses, Community schools, Academic Affairs,
Corporate Affairs, Online Learning, Adult Learning, and
Professional Development
Webster’s Bursar Retention Initiatives Communication
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Phone Calls, Letters, and Emails
Web Pages and Social Media
Online Portals and Functionality with messaging
Posters and Brochures
University Publications (electronic and hard copy)
Student Government Association
Student Orientation, Student Fairs, and Table Events
Financial Literacy Programs and Vendor Marketing
Webster’s Bursar Retention Initiatives –
Student Accounts
 Billing Statements with pending financial aid
 Online dynamic financial aid and account information
 Payment Options (military tuition assistance, MTAP, direct
billing, VA benefits, payment plans, employer
reimbursement)
 Student registration hold policies for students with past
due balances ($1,500 threshold)
 No cancellation of classes or interest charges on unpaid
student account balance
 New automation for discounted tuition rates
 Consolidation of charges for study abroad students
 Special financial arrangements
Webster University Institutional Initiatives
 First Year Experience and Retention Program Staffing
 New Military Affairs office with a VA Representative
 Competitive and discounted tuition rates and special
Financial Aid programs for targeted student groups
 University wide Welcome Students and Retention
advertisements and celebrations
 On-campus FAFSA Completion and outreach services
 Retention software (MAP-Works) and related
University wide collaborations and coordination
 University Administrators’ open forums on the State
of the University
Your Questions
&
Happy Spring 14
MASFAP Conference!